Images and details of what is reportedly Microsoft’s cancelled 2014 Surface Mini device have been published by Windows Central‘s Zac Bowden, revealing a tablet-only device that was designed to run on the company’s much-reviled Windows RT mobile OS.
The publication relates that this device was meant to release alongside the Surface Pro 3, and essentially looks like a smaller version of that device. It’s housed in a non-removable felt casing with a built-in kickstand, which has three lock positions and a loop for storing an accompanying Pen.
Windows Central notes that it had the same Pen technology as the Surface Pro 3, as well, and was to be marketed as the ultimate device for jotting down notes. The focus was reportedly so defined, that the Surface Mini didn’t even have a paired Type Cover accessory.
The device was reportedly meant to come in many colours, and the images reveal it had a microSD card slot, headphone jack, Micro-USB port and USB-OTG.
Internally, the Surface Mini stocked a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor with 1GB RAM and 32GB internal storage, an Adreno 330 GPU and a screen resolution of 1440 x 1080 at eight inches.
Ultimately, Windows Central notes the device was canned because it didn’t have “enough unique selling points to warrant its existence” — which seems entirely reasonable. The lack of market differentiation plus the use of Windows RT, which was also given up on not long after, would have made the failure of this device all but certain.
But is there still room for a more portable version of the Surface? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
[source]Windows Central[/source]
